Railroad cattle-gate.



T. A. SEAY.

RAILROAD CATTLE GATE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-22,1917.

Patented Feb. 5,1918.

2 SHE ETS--SHEET I.

Patented Feb. 5,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEEF 2 T A SEAY RAILROAD CATTLE GATE. APPLICATION mm AUG-22, I917.

THOMAS A. SEAY, OF COOKVILLE, TEXAS. I

RAILROAD CATTLE-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, acre.

Application filed August 22, 1917. Serial No. 187,689..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS A. SEAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cookville, in the county of Titus and State of Texas, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Railroad Cattle- Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railroad gates or cattle guards.

T he object of this invention is the provision of a gate or guard especially adapted to be positionedon a railroad track on op posite sides of the railroad crossing so as to prevent cattle or persons from crossing the railroad track from turning either to go up or down the railroad track thereby avoid injury or death to cattle or persons.

A further object of this invention is to provide a railroad gate or guard adapted to be operated by the engine striking a portion of the vgate and forcing the same downwardly to permit the train to pass over the gate and immediately upon passage of the train over the gate, the gate will be moved back to a vertical position to close the passageway up or down the track to cattle or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a railroad gate or cattle guard of this character, which will be simple, prac tical, and comparatively inexpensive in construction and one that can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and set forth in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railroad gate as made in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view taken through the same,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a railroad gate or cattle guard,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken near the gate.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken a distance from the gate.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner in which the slide arms are arranged under the guide members.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the spaced railroad ties of any suitable construction now in general use, and having secured upon their upper sides rail road rails 2. My improved gate or guard comprises a pair of relatively spaced longitudinally extending bearing blocks 3 which are secured between the opposing faces of a pair of railroad ties l as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.

A shaft 4 rotatably mounted in the bearing blocks 3 is located below the plane of the upper sides of the ties 1 and is arranged centrally between the opposing faces of the ties carrying the bearing blocks 3. A plurality of gates are formed integrally with or secured to the shaft 4 and extend vertieally therefrom. These gates are substantially rectangular as illustrated in Fig. 4:- The gates are designated by the numerals 5 and 6. The gates 5 are the end gates and the gate 6 is the central gate which is located between the rails 2 while the end. gates are located on opposite sides and in close proximity to the adjacent rail 2. The spacing of the gates as illustrated permits them to be swung downwardly upon rotation of the shaft in either direction. A pair of platforms 7 and 8 are secured to the upper side of the ties 1 and are located betweenthe rails 2. The inner ends of the platforms terminate for a relatively spaced distance from the shaft t as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The shaft 4: is provided centrally of its ends with a vertical standard 9 which is located between the side rails of the central gate 6 as illustrated in Fig. 4. A pair of coil springs 10 have one of their ends secured as at 11 to the shaft 9 on opposite sides thereof while their free ends are connected as at 12 to each of the platforms 7 and 8 respectively. Thus it can be seen that when the gates are moved downwardly by the rotation of the shaft in any direction. one spring will be under tension to raise the gate immediately upon the release of pressure thereon. It will be apparent that the initial position of the gates is vertical due to the compression and even tension of the springs arranged on oppos te s des thereof.

A plurality of sliding arms 13 are arranged in pairs, each pair having one of their ends ofiset as at 14: and pivotally con nected together by the transversely nected to the side rails of the central gate 6 adjacent the upper end thereof as illustrated at 15. The free ends of each pair of slide arms 13 extend in opposite directions and slidably arranged upon the upper sides of the platforms 7 and 8 respectively and against the inner sides of the opposing rails 2.

A pair of relatively spaced guide rods 15 are secured upon the upper side of each of the platforms 7 and 8 respectively as at 16 and are located between the rails 2, their free ends extending inwardly toward the inner ends of the platforms and in spaced relation thereto. The pairs of guide rods 15 are con arranged reinforcing members 17 and these guide rods are adapted to have slid-ably arranged thereunder laterally projecting pins 18 formed on the opposin faces of one arm l3 of each pair. Thus, it can be seen that the arms will freely slide along the platforms and will be held against rising on the ball of the rail, due to the fact that the projections 18 engage the under side of the guide rods 15 as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that a railroad gate or guard of this construction may be easily applied to the opposite sides of the railroad crossing and will prevent cattle from going up or down the track should the cattle when crossing the railroad from the highway turn either to the right or left. It will also be apparent that a train running along the track will strike the slide arms 13, urge the gates downwardly in the direction of travel of the train and the gates will be held down below the surface of the ball of the rail until the entire train has passed thereover and immediately upon the pressure being released from the slide arms 13, remote from the first arm struck, the gates will be raised to a vertical position by the action of one of the springs 10.

It will also be apparent that the springs 10 hold the gates normally in a vertical position as illustrated in all of the figures of the drawings.

WVh'atis claimed is A cattle guard or gate 'includi'ng a pair of spaced bearing blocks adapted to be arranged between a pair of ties andrparallel with the tracks, a shaft journaled in the bearing blocks at rightangles to the rails or tracks, gates formed integrally with and. extending vertically from the shaft, slide arms arranged in pairs, one arm of each pair pivotally connected together and to the opposite side of one of the gates, the free ends of the arms extending outwardly and downwardly in opposite directions, platforms secured to the upper sides of the ties between the tracks, guide rods secured to the platforms and adjacent the tracks, and means on the inner ends of the arms and engaged under the guide rods to prevent the rods from moving upwardly beyond the treads of the rails, and springs secured to the tracks and to one of the gates for normally holding the gates in a vertical position. 7

In testimony whereof I afi ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

his THOMAS A. X SEAY.

mark

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

